Grahame named U.S. starter...

[Sotnos]

I don't agree with the decision to start Grahame. In my opinion the US is overmatched in these Olympics and they need to start the goalie that gives them the best chance to steal some games. That goalie is Rick DiPietro. He's been playing very well as of late and has the potential to heat up and steal a game that Grahame does not have.

Your points are reasonable, but it's all just opinion. Grahame is totally capable stealing games.

Also, I disagree with the timing of the decision. DiPietro's been getting a lot of press as the US goalie and hardly anybody knows anything about Grahame. From a pure PR perspective this doesn't make sense for a team so concerned with "growing the game."

No offense, but who cares about the PR, not to mention, it's not like DiPi is Mike Richter or Patrick Roy or something. Hockey fans know who both the US goalies are, other folks won't know either.

Best of luck to Grahame! I hope he shows what he's capable of, I think some people will be VERY surprised. Hopefully he'll have success in the Olympics that he can carry on home with him.

 

[joshjull]

Go John Grahame!!! **** on Esche, what an arrogant **** What has he done to justify his attitude?

USA USA USA USA USA

 

[KH1]

His head does explode. Every time he lets in a bad goal or two, he takes himself out of it.

The 40 odd saves that he made against Boston are even more impressive when you consider that he didn't have a head after the Boyes goal

Your points are reasonable, but it's all just opinion. Grahame is totally capable stealing games.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to set any of this up as fact. While you read my comments keep in mind that I am a huge DiPietro fan and while I recognize his inconsistency I also recognize his huge game ability. I have little doubt that Grahame will play well in Torino--I just have doubts that he can play well enough consistently enough to steal us a medal.

 

[joshjull]

The 40 odd saves that he made against Boston are even more impressive when you consider that he didn't have a head after the Boyes goal



Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to set any of this up as fact. While you read my comments keep in mind that I am a huge DiPietro fan and while I recognize his inconsistency I also recognize his huge game ability. I have little doubt that Grahame will play well in Torino--I just have doubts that he can play well enough consistently enough to steal us a medal.

Who knew?

USA USA USA

 

[dok101]

I don't care who is in net. Lets medal and show some of these other countries that they underestimated the U.S. a bit prematurely.

 

[nyrmessier011]

ESPN picked the USA to beat the Czech Republic for a medal. On OLN yesterday they were basically making it sound like Canada, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the USA were the clear top 4, and that Sweden vs. USA for the bronze would be a very close matchup. Both are overrating the quality of the US team.

ESPN gets dumber and dumber every single year i swear to God. They think nieve Americans are actually going to believe it. I'm all for the American team obviously, but ESPN predicting USA hockey to win an international tournmanet or win a medal this year is like predicting the US soccer team to win the world cup or go to the finals. When it doesn't happen, it only hurts the growth of the sport. When we lose in the quarters like I expect, typical non hockey liking Americans are just going to laugh harder at the sport. ESPN is such a horrible network, always and forever.

 

[firstroundbust]

grahame will only have to stand on his head if the team in front of him fails...

 

[Rabid Ranger]

hey, for as much crap as the Buffalo-Betty fans have been spewing lately, he's spot on.

This years US team is possibly one of the worst international teams iced in quite a while.

I don't agree. I think it's a nice mix and will perform well on the ice, where it counts.

 

[HughJass*]

Lavy is coaching, anything is possible...

 

[Shoalzie]

Props to Laviolette for making the right choice. Out of the three guys on the active roster, Grahame is clearly the best goalie right now. Miller should start ahead of all of them but we won't see him unless a goalie gets hurt...knock on wood.

 

[RSBPC]

The 40 odd saves that he made against Boston are even more impressive when you consider that he didn't have a head after the Boyes goal

I was at the game Saturday against the B's, he was swiss cheese. 5 goals on 26 shots, he was fighting the puck all night, it was god awful. He's lucky Thomas played like it was his first time ever lacing them up so he snuck out of Boston with a W.

I don't watch Tampa aside from when they play the B's but from what I know about Grahame from when he was here and in Providence, and from what I saw at the game Saturday. To be honest, If I were making the depth chart for team USA it would look like this:

Miller
DiPietro
Esche
Grahame.

I hope JG proves me wrong because I really want to see the US medal, but I don't think he deserves the starting job.

 

[katodelder]

any ideas on U.S. line combinations?

Will Modano play with Dallas teammate Guerin or will he play with Tkachuk, who he's played with internationally in the past?

Rolston-Modano-Guerin
Tkachuk-Weight-Knuble
Cole-Gomez-Gionta
Blake-Conroy-Drury
Parrish

Schneider Rafalski
Hatcher Liles
Chelios Leopold
Hedican

Grahame
DiPietro
Esche

 

[DracoFulmineus]

Go John Grahame!!! **** on Esche, what an arrogant **** What has he done to justify his attitude?

USA USA USA USA USA

Wooo! I agree! I'm so proud of Grahamer!

 

[Sotnos]

I was at the game Saturday against the B's, he was swiss cheese. 5 goals on 26 shots, he was fighting the puck all night, it was god awful.

That was his worst game in a while. I was afraid he'd have "Italy on the brain" and I think he did. Let in a couple of BAD softies.

I don't watch Tampa aside from when they play the B's but from what I know about Grahame from when he was here and in Providence, and from what I saw at the game Saturday. To be honest, If I were making the depth chart for team USA it would look like this:

Miller
DiPietro
Esche
Grahame.

I hope JG proves me wrong because I really want to see the US medal, but I don't think he deserves the starting job.

If you're basing it on how he played in Boston (which is basically what you're doing) then you're completely off base and have no basis for comment. He's not the same goalie at all.

The guy you quoted was referring to DiPietro and not Grahame, btw.

 

[PRMan]

I love our defense and we have a really clutch set of forwards. I like our team, except between the pipes.

And naming John Grahame as the starter isn't changing my mind. Here's to hoping his play surprises everyone, but I just don't see it.

 

[swflyers8*]

**** on Esche, what an arrogant **** What has he done to justify his attitude?

Actually played more in the playoffs than Grahame and kept the US in their games during the World Cup. Yes, Grahame has a ring but he probably has a few splinters left in his rear end from riding the pine during the Bolts run.

To Esche I say - karma's a b*tch baby!

Maybe, maybe not. Guess we will have to wait until after the games are over and see what exactly the US did with JG in nets.

This years US team is possibly one of the worst international teams iced in quite a while.

Yes, speed among the forwards and most of the defense is really bad. You have a guy like Hatcher or Chelios to handle the bigger guys that Canada has. Both have been doing great with the new rules. Yes, US is the worst.

Can someone dig up that old collection of quotes where Esche stated that one of the USA goaltender's didn't even deserve to be named (He as obviously implying Grahame) I want to look back and laugh...

You might want to wait and see how your goalie does.

kiss the ring *****.'

Sure, kiss the ring that the other goalie Bulin got for you. Esche played behind Bulin too in Phoenix.

 

[Sotnos]

You might want to wait and see how your goalie does.

Way to miss the point. Esche was talking smack totally unprovoked months before the team was even named, now he's the 3rd goalie. He's the one who should have taken the "wait and see" approach before he opened his piehole, by not doing so he opened himself up for ridicule, and as has been pointed out, karma is a *****.

Obviously this burns you a lot, but you've been a Bolts hater for a looooooooong time, so I'm not surprised.

 

[Drop The Gloves]

You have to go with the hot hand, and that's Grahame right now.

No matter who the starter is, you root for what's on the front, not the name on the back.

Exactly.

 

[Gert B Frobe]

Go John Grahame!!! **** on Esche, what an arrogant **** What has he done to justify his attitude?

NHL Playoff wins:
Esche 11
Dipietro 1
Grahame 0
Miller 0

Esche still doesn't have the clout to justify his attitude. He's played average at best this year. His rebounds are just awful and I would take any of the other guys over him in a minute - Miller included. Heck - I hope he gets traded and the Flyers go into the playoffs with Niittymaki or another veteran.

 

[Jim Boeheim]

Props to Laviolette for making the right choice. Out of the three guys on the active roster, Grahame is clearly the best goalie right now. Miller should start ahead of all of them but we won't see him unless a goalie gets hurt...knock on wood.

My thoughts exactly!
JG gives the US the best chance.

Anybody but Rick, PLEASE!

 

[swflyers8*]

Esche was talking smack totally unprovoked months before the team was even named, now he's the 3rd goalie.

What's your point? Maybe Lavy is holding something against him since he hasn't coached Eschey. He has coached the other two guys. He was with Rick in NYI and won in the AHL with Grahame. Never mind that Esche actually can get a team somewhere with his play in the NHL. Something that Grahame hasn't done or Rick D, but it isn't completely Ricky's fault for that.

He's the one who should have taken the "wait and see" approach before he opened his piehole, by not doing so he opened himself up for ridicule,

Has he? Not many people are making too much of his words besides Bolt fans really. I mean no one is giving the US a chance in you h-e-double hockey sticks of doing anything. IMO, the 2nd and 3rd goalies have way more experience than Grahame does. He is the most inconsistent out of the 3 of them.

Obviously this burns you a lot, but you've been a Bolts hater for a looooooooong time, so I'm not surprised.

Yes, from the beginning of 03-04 till now is a long time.

You probably hate us a lot more since we have beaten you ever since your franchise was established until the 03-04 season.

So, I'm not surprised.

 

[MLH]

I see no reason that the US can't get a medal.

As long as they average six or more goals scored per game.

 

[Big Mama*]

DW is gutless. He and the rest of the braintrust have to cut the red tape and find a way to bring Miller in to start these games.

There are ways, but they are just to cowardly to do so.

Miller is the top goalie. I don't understand how he is not on the team.

 

[Skroob*]

I don't agree. I think it's a nice mix and will perform well on the ice, where it counts.

Its gonna be a blood-bath.

This is going to come off very homer-ish, but wihout a big-game goalie like Richter in nets, the Americans have always been outmatched everywhere else, 'cept maybe in grit when guys like LeClair and KT were in their primes. This year will expose that as such.

 

[swflyers8*]

Its gonna be a blood-bath.

This is going to come off very homer-ish, but wihout a big-game goalie like Richter in nets, the Americans have always been outmatched everywhere else, 'cept maybe in grit when guys like LeClair and KT were in their primes. This year will expose that as such.

Just like it did in the World Cup when the forwards weren't as fast? Right.